


To Boldly Go

by Sarah Problem (SarahProblem)



Series: Come With Me [5]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Anal Sex, Complete, Established Relationship, Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-10-30 09:35:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10874058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahProblem/pseuds/Sarah%20Problem
Summary: A peaceful, scientific assignment has the Enterprise looking forward to a quiet Holiday Season for those on the ship. As far from home as they've ever been, they all have family on their minds.





	To Boldly Go

 

 To Boldly Go

 by Sarah Problem

 

 

 

 

Nebulas were beautiful things, from the outside. Latin for 'cloud', the collection of dust, hydrogen, helium and plasma were the birthplaces of stars. The nurseries of the universe. Some were new in a time frame only they could measure. Some were very old and mostly gone, having dissipated as the stars they gave birth to gobbled up the various materials for planets, moons and asteroid rings.  They came in various types, from thin and 'diffuse' to thick and 'dark'. Some looked quiet from the outside, but sparkled with life inside. Other gave off glowing colors like a galactic peacock feather. But all moving ever so slowly, like paint dropped into a thick oil.

The ones that gave off light from the myriad of new suns inside them were glorious. And huge. So very, very huge that whole systems with planets of their own could be hidden inside and never discovered. The path through them so dangerous and unpredictable that they could never be safely traveled.

At least, not by those who were more material than energy. To those who lived their existence in the cloud, it had no name. It simply was  _Home._

And yet, while most of those that lived inside the nebula were content to exist safely inside it, a few were curious about the outside. Where space was so thin that the material in it was almost non-existent. Where stars shone as lone entities and the distance between them was vast and empty. And even fewer still liked to hang around the edges and wonder at the kind of life that must exist in such emptiness. Less than a handful had ever ventured out. None had returned.

_Is there more to existence than just us?_ They wondered. But the thought of leaving their home was too much for most of them. So, they stayed.

But one, just one, of these lifeforms was there when a small,  _so so tiny_ , material object moved toward the nebula that was  _Home._

And this one wanted to know. To find out what this strange object was.

So, it went to look. And discover.

 

***

Gamma Shift - 8:30 am

 

Doctor Leonard McCoy set his drink down on the table next to him and leaned back to stretch out on the short side of the "L" shaped bench seat. He put his legs up, taking up the whole space. In this corner of the Enterprise's large Rec Room there were tables and bench seats all along this side of the wall. What made this one cozy was the overhead beam, which made the nook less than two meters tall. Anyone over that who wanted to sit there had to be very careful not to knock themselves out while getting in and out. But it gave a good view of the long, wide room while giving the occupants a feeling of privacy. And it was as far away from the wide viewport out to space as a person could get and still be in the room itself.

A win-win situation as far as McCoy was concerned.

Nyota Uhura curled up on the seat next to him. He was still in his Science Blues, and Uhura in her Operations Red. McCoy had kicked off his shoes and she had let her hair down.  Even so, they were some of the few in the room who were still in uniform. Bucking the tradition of most other ships, Jim had declared the Rec and Gym areas as civilian dress friendly. McCoy had backed him up on that, filing his own written report on the subject with Starfleet after Jim had gotten some flack from a visiting Admiral for it.

McCoy had completely agreed with Jim's thinking.  _'Bones, if an emergency happens, they'll still respond. It's not like being in civilian clothes makes people stupid. If we're going to unwind, we have to be able to take off the work wrappers and play. Civilian dress codes still apply, though. Nudity_ is _too distracting.'_

So the crew took advantage of the situation and dress-wars had ensued. It made for some interesting people watching and helped keep the crew occupied during their off time. With that, and the fact that the Holiday season was coming up, the Rec Room itself was starting to become as colorful as the people in it. It was the tail end of November, and there were all kinds of parties planned for all the various species and cultures on the ship in the coming month. The ship was out on the edges of unknown space, doing a lot of scientific 'stuff' that McCoy didn't bother to follow all that closely since it wasn't medical. So, joining the Holiday Volunteers had given people something new to do as they tried to represent a lot of different holiday and cultural observances in one large space.

McCoy thought it was starting to look like one of those old-fashioned, tacky carnival attractions that you usually didn't see on Earth anymore. He kind of liked it. It made for interesting visual chaos.

Nyota sighed. She sounded tired.

"So, it looks like you and me again for dinner. Or should I say, 'late breakfast', " McCoy said to her as she leaned up against him.

They had both been rotated to Gamma shift a month ago, so were missing out on a lot of meals and quality time with their partners. Jim and Spock were still on Alpha shift, so had started work already. It was hard to meet up since all shifts had a 30-minute overlap. By the time McCoy and Uhura were off Gamma, Jim and Spock were on Alpha. But while McCoy hated Beta and Gamma shifts, he knew it was necessary. Crew had to get used to working with those crew members they didn't usually see on a normal duty day. And new crewmen had to be evaluated and given training if they were to advance. If Starfleet kept their senior staff to one shift all the time, all that experience and knowledge wouldn't get passed around. So, McCoy and Uhura had landed Gamma shift, along with some of the other senior officers.

At least they had each other to share the misery with, in a friendly kind of way.

"I think I'll just replicate something later," she said tiredly. "I'm not really hungry. I think I'll just hang out here for a while."

"You sure you don't have anything you'd rather do?" He asked her.

"No, not really," she said. "I'm too beat to want to do much, but too bored to sleep. How about you? You're not here on my account, are you?"

"No. It was a long day. People watching is fine for a while. Have you seen the red band lately?"

Nyota shook her head. "Not for a week or so. Jefferson's still got it the last I'd heard."

"Well, then that won't last much longer," McCoy huffed. "Hell, he's had it more than anyone else I know. It keeps circling back to him."

The 'red band' was a headband that seemed to have taken on a life of its own. Someone, a year or so ago, had noticed that one particularly artistic and flowery red Deltan head covering had been making appearances in the Rec Room. Only, on different people. The word was that it was passed from one sex partner to another. McCoy didn't know if that had been true at the start, but it seemed to be true now. It had become a point of interest among the crew, along with some side betting, about where it was and who would 'earn' it next. The Officers weren't supposed to know about the whole thing, but that didn't stop the gossip, or the betting.  _Nothing_  stopped the gossip. It'd been a few months since a port. Sub-space communications were voice and text only, with every crewman given a certain allotment of time. When it was available. Almost everyone was bored and missing the ability to talk to their families face to face. So, they talked to each other. Constantly.

"But I have heard something you might be interested in," she said, poking him in the side. " _Apparently,_  you and I are having a hot and heavy romance, right under Jim and Spock's noses."

"Oh,  _hell._ Who started that?" McCoy asked grumpily, looking at her with surprise.

Nyota shrugged. "Who knows? Gaila wouldn't say, although she's been defending our honor among the masses. Does it bother you?"

McCoy thought about it for a minute, then sighed. "Yes. Maybe. Not really. I hate when crap like that gets passed around, but I can see that some may think it. We do spend a lot of off duty time together and not everyone actually knows us well enough to say that we would or wouldn't. Well, they probably don't know  _me_  enough to know for sure. But  _we_  four know it's a load of crap, so I'm not going to worry about it. You try to stop something like that, you only find you've encouraged people to believe it. What about you?"

"It does. Some. But you're right. It'll die out on its own."

They watched the off-duty crowd for a few minutes. Besides the fashion show everyone was pretending not to notice, there were actually various games and contests in progress. One corner filled with tables had been taken up by those practicing their poker skills for the big tournament coming up. Some were playing various video games, some table games. In several rooms off to one side were pool tables, ping-pong, basketball and various other activities that needed enclosed rooms because of airborne equipment. The crew worked hard and played hard. Things tended to go flying on occasion.

_And, for once, I'm glad the ship isn't infinite inside. If Jim could've fit a parrises squares in here, he would have. Then I'd have been kept busy fixing broken bones. On him, mostly. If they ever get that holodeck technology up and running, I'm going to be a hell of a lot busier._

The silence between them was a comfortable one, but McCoy found himself growing restless. There was something he'd wanted to talk with her about and he really didn't know how to get started. Which was part of the whole problem.

_I might as well just spit it out. We're as private here as anywhere else._

"Uh… Nyota? I've decided. It's time."

Nyota turned to look at him in surprised delight. "You have? Seriously?"

"Yeah. I picked Jim's ring up a couple of months ago, at our last port. I've just been sitting on it until I was sure."

Nyota, her eyes wide, smiled with glee. "That's wonderful! When and where?"

"I don't  _know_ ," McCoy said feeling anxious. "That's the problem. What if it's too soon? What if he's not ready? Getting engaged is a huge step."

Nyota shook her head. "You mean, what if  _you're_  not ready."

"I'm  _ready_. It just scares me a bit," McCoy admitted. "Don’t get me wrong. I  _want_  to marry him, and I think he wants to marry me. He's said so. I'm afraid I'll screw up the proposal. Or the marriage. I'm not good at relationships. My first marriage proved that."

"Oh, Len." She took his hand in hers. "I'm sure your first marriage ending wasn't all your fault. It does take two to really create a disaster."

McCoy nodded. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Nyota paused. "Can I ask about your first? You must have been awfully young."

"Yeah, sure." McCoy paused for a moment, mentally digging through the dust of his past. "Jacquelyn and I met as kids. Dated through high school and college. She majored as a Financial Analyst. I got my Doctorate and we got married. She was busy finishing her degree and working in an apprenticeship program at one of the interstellar banks. First it was school, then residency, and we just…" He waved a hand in frustration. "I guess we just grew apart. We hardly ever saw each other.  We went through a really rough patch. She started seeing someone else, behind my back."

"Oh, Len! I'm so sorry."

McCoy shrugged. "Then I found out some of our friends had always known about her affair. I looked around me one day and realized that I didn't have any real friends of my own. So, I decided I needed to make a clean break from my old life. I had left her everything at our house and just took a suitcase with me while I lived in a hotel. When I signed the divorce papers, I gave her everything she asked for, quit my job at the hospital, paid off all my bills with the last of the money I had left, and signed on with Starfleet. When I finally got on that shuttle, I was coming off a three-day drunk and had the hangover of a lifetime. Jim was lucky I only threw up on his shoes."

Nyota gave him a smile. "But you got through it. And found Jim, and the Enterprise, and you're all better now."

"Yeah," he admitted with his own smile. "I just worry about making the same mistakes with Jim that I did with Jac." He shook his head. "It was my fault that I didn't notice things between us had changed. I chose her because there was chemistry between us, at the start, but I've realized chemistry is just part of what a couple needs. And we'd known each other so long it was easy. Too easy. But we were never friends. Not really. Not like Jim and I."

"See? I think you two are already off to a great start. I don't see the two of you having those kinds of problems," She said. "Not that it will be easy. My parents have been together forever, and they still have rough patches. But that's normal, I think. Do you have any idea how you want to propose?"

McCoy shook his head. "I'm not sure. Sometimes I think he'd want to be asked in private. Something romantic, just the two of us. Sometimes I think he'd rather be asked in front of all his friends. Or the crew." McCoy chuckled. "I know he'd want a party. But we've been trying to keep it discrete and not let it interfere with our jobs. So I'm not sure how public he'd want it."

"We have quite a few Holiday parties coming up," she said, a twinkle in her eye. "The Captain is usually expected to show at most of them. Everyone usually attends. You could pick one. Probably the Christmas one would be where Jim would be the most comfortable. We'd all be off-duty, then he could have his party. Or, even better, do it at the end of his annual Holiday Address. Then the whole ship would see it and you could both celebrate at  _all_  the parties."

"Now you're scaring me," McCoy said, truthfully. "Hundreds of people, seeing me shot down. My worst nightmare."

" _That_  won't happen," Nyota said with certainty.

McCoy thought about it for a moment.

"You think he'd really like it be made that public?"

Nyota nodded. "I think he'd like the whole crew to be there. He thinks of us as his family. He'd want his family to see how much you love him."

"I'll... think about it," McCoy told her.

_Okay, he probably won't say no. At least, not in front of the whole crew. Unless I choke up and freeze or something. But she's right. I think he'd like everyone to be there, so to speak. Especially since his Mom, Sam and Aurelan can't be. They can always get the vid, along with my Dad, later. But it's not quite the same. And if I wait until everyone_ can _be there, it might never happen._

"What about the ring?" She asked excitedly. "Can I see? Or does Scotty have it on his Elf Shelf?"

During the year, Scotty had voluntarily become the Christmas Elf. Because of the close quarters, if you needed Scotty to hide a gift for you, he'd make it disappear until you requested it back. As far as McCoy knew, no one had figured out where he stashed everything. All he asked was that you tell him what the gift was and who it was for, and then buy him a drink during the Holiday month. Scotty was careful with what he stored on his ship. McCoy had gotten Jim a guitar for Christmas on their Risian holiday, and Scotty had had it packed away somewhere in the 'rafters' for months. It was well worth the price of some real alcohol to make sure Jim didn't run across it by accident.

McCoy shook his head. "I have it. It's safe enough in one of my drawers in my old quarters."

"I want to see!" Uhura said excitedly. "Please?"

"Oh, okay." McCoy realized he really wanted her to not only see it, but approve. It was important, even if Jim didn't want to wear it as an engagement or wedding ring. "Beats watching the decorations go up." He slipped on his shoes, stood, ducking so he wouldn't hit his head on the support beam, and waved his hand at a group at the other end of the Rec Room on lifts. They were trying to hang some kind of sparkly tinsel at the highest points. "One of those idiots is going to fall. Better I wasn't here to yell at them."

The trip to McCoy's old cabin went quickly. Once he'd punched in the code and gone inside, he realized how barren the room felt. He'd moved out months ago. He and Jim mostly just stored their extra items in it. Since McCoy was entitled to the room, they didn't feel bad about keeping it. It made it easier for the two of them to use Jim's space when they had this smaller room for the overflow. McCoy had wondered if he'd lose the cabin if they got married, but at this point he didn't really care. They'd make do.

He went to the tiny kitchen area and dug through a drawer at the bottom that just held extra kitchen items. The small black jewelry box was right where he left it. He handed over to Uhura. She opened it, her eyes going wide. "It looks like his Captain's braid," she said with delight.

The ring was gold with three braided bands around it. The two on the outside were thicker than the middle one, and it looked like the braid for the rank of 'Captain' Jim had on his Command tops. But it was different enough that if Jim ever got promoted, or demoted, that Starfleet wouldn't pitch a fit about the design.

"Yeah, I had it designed that way. And there's a secret to it," McCoy said with a smile. He'd debated adding on to the ring, and in the end decided he had to. He nodded toward the empty counter beside him. "Take it out and spin it on its edge."

Looking at him curiously, she took the ring out carefully and set it on its side. Then she twisted it sharply to spin it.

Instead of falling, or spinning wildly across the table, it settled into a controlled spin and a mass of lights shot out, forming a small 8 centimeter by 8 centimeter holo.

"Oh, my gosh, Len! That's you and Jim!" She exclaimed. "Is that the day you met?"

The holo showed Jim and McCoy, just after they got off the shuttle. McCoy looked exactly like he thought he would if he'd ever gotten arrested. Scruffy stubble, hair every which way, and in the gray/black zipper-patterned shirt and cargo pants he's worn on the shuttle, minus his jacket. He'd been on a bender, and it showed in the squint of pain around his eyes, the slight tinge of green from aviophobia, and the look of horror as he surrendered to his fate. Jim was standing beside him in the brown pants and grey shirt he'd gotten blood on from the bar fight the night before, minus his jacket. He'd cleaned up his face, but the bruises and cuts hadn't been treated yet. On his face was a look of happiness and hope. Excitement about a new adventure. They were standing next to each other, a complete contrast in attitude. Both were standing straight and looking toward the vid taker, a blank, blue wall behind them.

"Yeah, it's just after we got off the shuttle."

"Where did you get this?" She asked, surprised.

"I still have some friends I worked with at the Academy clinic. They contacted some other friends, and looked up the vid that was taken when we got off the shuttle. You know they keep everything. You all," McCoy said waving at Uhura, "were all duded up in your Academy Reds when you got on the shuttle and got to go right in. Jim and I, obviously, still had some processing to do. So, they rounded us up and we spent the rest of the day doing paperwork and getting our Academy kits issued, while you all were getting rooms and getting acclimated. That's from the vid they took to get our measurements into the computer for our Reds and other outfits. It's been trimmed a bit, but the only thing that's missing is the vomit on Jim's shoes."

"It's wonderful!" Nyota said happily, watching the ring slow down and fall over, making the holo disappear. "I can't believe you remembered that they'd even taken it."

"Oh, my friend suggested it," McCoy admitted. "Apparently, we're not the only ones looking for holos. But not everyone had their measurements done at the Academy. So, I lucked out there."

McCoy picked up the ring and put it back in its small box. "I thought Jim would like having it with him all the time."

"He'll  _love_  it! But now you  _have to_ propose, Len," she gave him a stern look, crossing her arms. "Because if you don't I will,  _for_  you."

McCoy chuckled. "Yeah, I know you would. That's why I need you to help me with this whole proposal thing. I want to do it right."

"Oh, you will," Nyota said, giving McCoy a hug. "Because I'll make  _sure_  it's perfect. Now, let's go to my cabin and make plans."

He hugged her back.

"Famous last words," he said with resignation.

She laughed.

 

***

Alpha Shift - 9:45 am

 

Captain James T. Kirk sat back in his chair and watched the viewscreen while those around him were intent on their work. Everyone around him was excited about being on the edge of Gamma Quadrant. The quadrants, which cut the Milky Way Galaxy into four equal areas, were just a way of keeping track of where they'd been, and what they had left to explore. Which was pretty much all of existence. The UFP, and the Klingon and Romulan Empires were in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. And as the ships got better, and technologies advanced, everyone was excited about pushing the boundaries.

While the excitement of unexplored space kept some busy, like the nebula ahead of them was keeping his scientists happy, it gave Jim a lot of time to think. Because as long as things were quiet, he had only the same old, endless pages of paperwork and reports to get on with.

_One of these days, we'll be traveling so far we'll start to take our families with us. Our kids, our pets, our whole identity. We'll be living on ships for so long, traveling so far, that whole generations won't know what it'll be like to have a home planet. Even now there are family groups that travel space, the traders and explorers. It's kind of a scary thought,_ Jim decided.  _To be a Captain, not only responsible for my crew, who are here because they want to be, because they've worked hard for the privilege to join Starfleet, but responsible for their kids as well? That's a whole different set of stresses. But I can see it coming. I will have to adjust, just like everyone else._

Jim was thinking about his family a lot lately. Which wasn't a surprise. The holiday season was upon them, and most of the holidays his crew chose to celebrate had a lot to do with families. Being so far from all their homes, it seemed natural to make time to express their love and connection to people who were a long way away. And the fact that they were nearing the anniversary of the Kelvin's destruction and his father's death always brought family to mind.

But it had really come home to him when he'd received an actual, old style mail-packet. Most ship communication was done by sub-space. Hardly anyone sent physical things to a ship anymore, although plenty of crewmembers sent things back to their home planets. Things they didn't want disappearing, even if they did. But Jim had never had anyone send him a physical package before. Sam had sent it, and it had included a vid chip of him, Aurelan and Peter, a box of hard candies Aurelan had made him, and a wrapped Christmas present from Peter. It was great seeing pictures of the family. Jim and McCoy had been able to make a quick stop on their way past Deneva while bringing supplies into Starbase 10 during its repair. It had been great meeting his sister-in-law. A beautiful, kind woman, she looked even more glowing in the vids as her pregnancy progressed.

_Three and a half months, and I'll be an uncle again. Hopefully I'll get to see more of this kid than I did of Peter. I missed so much time with him. But the kid seems to like me anyway._ The thought made him smile.  _I hope he likes the package I sent. And that Sam doesn't mind the collector's edition of Starfleet Starships. I know he doesn't want the kid to go into space, but I wanted to get Peter something he was interested in, even if it's just a hobby. And I know Sam and Aurelan are getting him scientific toys. I don't mean to steer him Starfleet's way, but maybe he'll think of me in the future when he sees the model ships._

In the box, Peter had even included a drawing he'd done. He'd drawn his parents, Jim, McCoy and himself around a Christmas tree, and written "My Family" under it. It had to have been one of the best presents Jim had ever gotten, and he'd been proud to have it mounted on their cabin wall.

He'd call his mother on Christmas, more out of habit than any real observation of the day, and call Sam and Aurelan and hopefully get to talk to Peter if he watched his timing. He didn't want them to have to drag the kid out of bed. And he'd have McCoy with him. And yet, for some reason he felt a little sad at the same time.

_I'd like to have kids. Someday. I don't think Bones and I have ever talked about adopting. Not now. I wouldn't want to leave a kid behind, either because I'm out here all the time, or because I may never come back. But, someday..._

"Captain?"

Striker's voice startled Jim out of his thoughts. He was Uhura's off-shift replacement, and was taking the Alpha shift for training experience. Uhura thought the man had a good ear, and showed promise.

"I've getting a distress call. It's very, very faint."

"Bring it up."

Everyone on the bridge stopped what they were doing to listen. On the speakers, the background sounds of the nebula filled the bridge. To human ears, space was silent, but to their technology, the area was crowded with all kinds low level electromagnetic radiation that could be translated to sound. In between all the conflicting bits of static was the artificial ping of a Standard Distress Call.

"Is it in the cloud, Lieutenant?"

"Just inside, Captain. The call is growing stronger."

"The vessel is coming our way," Spock said, having gone to the science station as soon as Striker had spoken up. "It should be outside the nebula within an hour."

"Are we close enough to identify it?"

"Not as of yet, Captain," Spock replied. "The natural sensory interference of the nebula is blocking our sensors."

"Sulu, take us as close as you safely can. Get ready to assist with tractor beams as soon as feasible. But for now, put up the defence screens. Let's not take the chance of a rogue asteroid, or an enemy trap."

"Aye, Captain. Deflector screens on."

They drew closer to the edges of the nebula, and the ping grew louder. The vast collection of hydrogen, helium, plasma and dust played havoc with all kinds of technical equipment. Jim wondered how the ship had gotten in such a dangerous area, and how bad off it was.

"Can we go further in to contact them?" Jim asked Spock.

"At this point, Captain, it might be better to wait here until they are closer to the edge of the nebula. If we were to force our way in, the contact of the debris with our deflector screen could force some of it into the path of the distressed ship. If their own deflector screens are damaged, it may not be able to survive another hit."

"Then keep an eye on them, Spock. As long as they're moving, we'll let them make their way out."

It took almost forty-five minutes for the ship to come close enough to identify through the interference. During the wait, Jim called Medbay and informed M'Benga of the possibility of having patients to treat. McCoy called back twenty minutes later, pulled on-duty by M'Benga, asking for an update. Jim didn't have much to tell him. Everyone was warned that they may be taking on passengers, and the emergency cots and extra blankets and provisions were ready to set up in the empty hold area if needed. The kitchen staff was ready to do what they could with fresh food, and replicators, as soon as they had an idea of what species they could be dealing with. Uhura quietly came in and took over from Striker. Spock kept his eye on the monitors.

"It's Yaderan by design, Captain," Spock finally reported. "A medium sized colony vessel. It's was designed to hold about 300 Yaderans on long voyages. Sup-warp only, and my screens are showing a rupture on the port side. Their engine, mounted in the center of the ship, is still functional, but their life support systems have been compromised."

"Yadera is local to this quadrant, isn't it Spock?"

"Yes. It is the closest known inhabited planet to this nebula. They are proposed Federation Members. Humanoid, oxygen breathers, compatible with our environment."

"The ship's too big for us to take on board, but we can shuttle some of the passengers on. Make sure the kitchen and Medbay get what data we have on them. Uhura, can you make contact yet?"

Uhura worked her controls. "I'm just now getting a signal from them."

"On screen, Lieutenant."

The viewscreen lit up with a barrage of static. Behind it Jim could see a humanoid form."

"An Yaderan, Captain," Spock said quietly.

The being was yellow, with large, almond-shaped eyes with slit pupils, and a fur-like covering over the visible part of their head. Their mouth was almost bird-like, and the hand that was lifted had seven digits ending in claws.

"We are the ship 'Tomink', from Yadera," the Yaderan said in thick Standard, "I am Captain Remock. We have sustained damaged and have casualties. We are a colony ship, and have families. We are begging for assistance. Please respond."

"Spaceship Tomink," Jim said in reply, "This is the Federation Starship Enterprise, we will take you in tow and transport your people aboard. Please triage your wounded so we can beam them over first, and get treatment started."

"Thank you, Captain! We will do so."

"Let's pull her in, Sulu, and get ready to transport her people."

 

***

Alpha shift - 1:00 pm

 

_No matter how ready you think you are, you really aren't. At least this wasn't as bad as it could have been,_ McCoy thought, leaning tiredly against a wall in the Medbay. It hadn't helped that he'd just gotten to bed after a full shift when the call came in.  _At least most of the injuries are light. The hull breach would have sucked out anyone in those areas. The critically wounded didn't have a chance._

The emergency evacuation of the survivors of the Yaderan ship had been hectic and fast. They'd done the same thing nearly eight months ago, and had gotten good at rescue situations in that respect. Only then it had been mold-poisoned food. This time, it was a group of Yaderan settlers, headed out into the nebula.

_Most of them seem to be handling it pretty well, although they could be in shock. I don't think many of them know exactly who was lost and who wasn't. I know Jim and Spock are helping the Tomink Captain take a head count. When the names of the missing get passed around, it may really hit them hard. I'll have to see if I can dig up more information on their psychology. Find out how long they'll be here. It may be that all we can do is put some bandaids on ugly wounds._

The Yaderans were a small people, about one and a half meter's tall, with yellow skin and various colored short fur on their heads. Their large eyes made them look a bit reptilian like, and while their faces weren't as expressive as a human's, their vocal range was vast. You could almost hear what they were feeling by the way they said things.

Right now, there were about thirty Yaderans in Medbay, and about a hundred or so set up in the hold areas. The rest had been able to stay aboard their own ship, in the more sealed off areas. McCoy didn't know how many they started with. He'd sent his report to Jim just a few minutes ago.

He pushed away from the wall when he saw Jim come down the length of Medbay. He was going to meet him, but Jim saw him and held up a hand, indicating he should stay where he was.

"Got the report," Jim said softly. "Just wanted to check in, in person."

"How many did they lose?" McCoy asked.

"Looks like about seventy or so. They'd packed the ship full before leaving Yadera about six months ago."

"It was a colony ship, right? Where were they going to inside the nebula? I thought we couldn't see very far in."

"We can't. We were just getting started on mapping the outer area. According to the Yaderan Captain, they're settlers, going to a planet they believe exists inside the nebula. They got hit while trying to dodge a lot of debris, and their shields didn't hold."

"One they  _believe_  exists? They don't  _know_?"

"Not for sure," Jim shook his head. "They're a private, religious group. Apparently, their religion says that there's a planet out there, and they're supposed to settle it. They have a vague location, but believe that they'll find it when they need to."

"Awful dangerous way to travel," McCoy said with disbelief. "Even if you don't have all those asteroids bouncing off each other, and the gases and radiation, you can run out of food and water."

"I get the feeling that that was becoming an issue," Jim admitted. "Their supplies were at the point-of-no-return stage, as they almost didn't have enough to make it back to Yadera. Some of the crew believe they turned back too early, and were close to finding ' _Home_ ', which seems to be the only name they have for this place. The Captain is grateful for the rescue, but doesn't want to go back to Yadera."

"Then what do they want?" McCoy asked. "Not for us to take them there, I hope."

Jim shook his head. "I'm waiting on a reply from Starfleet Headquarters. As rescued survivors, we may not be able to give them a choice.  _We're_  not going in there. Not right now. There's too much we don't know, and it would be suicide to go in there just to wander around without a plan and a damned good orbiting debris map. So, it'll either be back to Yardera, someplace else nearby, transfer them to another ship, or fix their ship and turn them loose."

"Patch them up and send them back? That's crazy," McCoy protested. "We won't do that, will we?"

"Scotty said they can be patched, and the systems repaired." Jim sighed. "It might come to that."

"We can't let them do that!" McCoy said. "There's children and babies here, Jim."

"Not our choice to make," Jim said with a frown. "It's their parent's decision. Their right to decide."

"It'd still be the stupid thing to do," McCoy huffed.

"Maybe," Jim said, studying him. "Look, you're tired. Are you where you can take some time off and get some sleep? Something to eat?"

"No sleep, not yet," McCoy said. "Some of these cases need to be watched for a bit. M'Benga and I need to go to the hold where the others are getting settled in and check them out. Make sure everyone is okay before I clock out."

"Okay. I've got to go back to the bridge. Let me know how the rest of their passengers are."

McCoy nodded tiredly. "Yeah. I'll send a report."

Jim nodded, giving him a smile and a pat on the shoulder. "Then turn in when you can. You're going to need your sleep."

"I'll try," McCoy said tiredly. He'd hadn't yet gotten his second wind even though he was mid-way though Alpha shift already. He'd been through more than just a few double-shifts before, but he wasn't getting any younger.

"I can make it an order," Jim said kiddingly.

"As if  _that_  ever worked. No, I'll try. Promise."

Jim nodded and left.

After another hour of seeing to his paperwork, and coordinating with M'Benga, McCoy took a turn walking through the large hold where the survivors were bunking down. There were over a hundred Yaderans there, about a fourth of them children. Some were on cots, others milling about, and most were at the food service table at the front near the doors, waiting in line for a meal. So far, they all looked okay, but were clearly tired and a bit shell shocked. Some of the groups were talking angrily among themselves, which McCoy took to be more debate about them abandoning their trip.

Just as he turned to walk out, someone tugged on his shirt. Looking down, McCoy saw a little Yaderan girl. She would probably be about five years-old if she were human. She had purple-ish head fur, was wearing a cream-colored jumper and carrying a stuffed toy that looked like a weird-eyed crab. There were a few other children with her, standing further away but watching with curiosity.

"Hello, there," McCoy said, squatting down. "What's your name?"

"Teeka," she said with a Yaderan smile. "And this is Beko, my best friend." She held the stuffed animal up for him to see. It was soft and floppy, with seven appendages attached to a round body, and two eye stalks with rounded, painted eyes on the end. At least, he thought they were eye stalks. She'd apparently had the toy for a long time, as McCoy could see the stitching where it'd been patched. "Beko says you're nice, and she wants to go with you."

"Well, I'm glad she thinks so," McCoy replied. "But I'm sure Beko will be happier with you, won't she?"

Teeka shook her head and pressed Beko into McCoy's hands. "She needs a bath, and said you'd take care of her and take her to see things."

Getting a closer look, McCoy could see that the toy had certainly been through something messy. The material felt gritty with dirt and dust. Glancing at the girl and the other children, McCoy could see they'd been cleaned up and were in fresh clothing. Probably from stores they already had on their own ship.

_Can't blame the kids for wanting her friend taken care of. It_ is _kind of a mess._

"Okay, hon." McCoy tucked the toy under his arm. "I'll see what I can do, as long as you don't mind it taking a while."

Teeka gave McCoy what seemed to be a Yaderan shrug. "That's okay. Beko will come back when she's ready."

"Now, how are  _you_  feeling?"

"Mommy's getting me something to eat, then I have to take a nap."

"Okay. How about the rest of you?" McCoy asked the shy group behind her. They all drew back a bit.

"They're okay," Teeka said in a loud whisper. "They just think you look funny. They've never seen Umans before."

"Well, that's okay too," McCoy said, giving her a smile. "And the word is 'Humans', Darlin', but you got close. You tell your friends that we won't look so funny after a while. And we're all here to help you. Okay?"

Teeka nodded. "I know. My Papa's a pilot and he's been lots of places. He says we're okay now."

Just then McCoy heard the girl's name call out through the crowd. "My Mommy," Teeka said with a smile as she turned and ran toward the source. The other children ran after her.

_So now I do laundry. Just another thing to put on my resume,_ He thought tiredly. He stopped at the food table, and talked to the Kitchen Manager, checking with him on the availability of their onboard supplies that had the most nutritional value for the Yaderans, and asked how soon they could acquire good programs for the Yaderan use of the replicators. He then checked in with the quartermaster, on the laundry aspects of the supplies they had on-hand. There had been instances, in the past, where the cleaning chemicals used on the ship had irritated some of the refugees they'd help relocate. So far, everything looked to be working well.

It wasn't until hours later, when he'd gotten back to his cabin, that he'd realized he'd been walking around with the Yaderan toy under his arm the whole time.

_I should take it to Housekeeping._ But he was tired, and needed a shower. Jim would be off duty in a few hours, and McCoy had time for a quick nap before then. He was hoping to catch up with Jim during his dinner and have some of their evening left together before he had to sleep before his next shift. He set the toy on the coffee table to remind him to take care of it later. Then once he'd showered and ordered the lights lowered, he fell into bed.

He didn't last long before sleep took him.

 

***

Beta shift - 5:03 pm

 

Jim stepped quietly into the cabin, noting that the lights were dim. After checking the computer for McCoy's location, Jim had been glad to see that he was finally in their cabin. He knew McCoy would try to get in a nap. Split shifts were hard on couples, but McCoy only had a few more days before he'd be on Alpha again. Until then, it was just dealing with it the best way they could.

He navigated the dim room by the flickering lights from the equipment in the kitchen area. The bedroom was dark, and Jim couldn't see McCoy very well, but he could hear him breathing deeply.

_I hate to wake him. But he'd be pissed to miss a meal together._

So, he stepped in quietly, and leaned over to gently shake McCoy awake.

"C'mon, Bones. Time to get some dinner."

McCoy made some grunting noises. "Yeah. Okay."

Jim called up the lights to dim. McCoy sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

"We can eat here or at the galley, I don't care which," Jim said. "Then you can get another nap in before your shift."

"Here, then." McCoy said as he pushed back the covers. "Punch up a soup and salad for me. My usual number ones. Coffey too."

"Decaffeinated."

"Hell, no. Caffeinated. You know Scotty's never gotten that decaf stuff right."

"Decaffeinated, or you won't be able to sleep. Don't make me call  _your_  doctor," Jim warned him with a smile. He'd do it. M'Benga wasn't any more forgiving of patients stringing themselves out than McCoy was.

"Fine. Be an asshole," McCoy muttered with resignation as he got out of bed and headed to the 'fresher. He kissed Jim's cheek as he walked by. "I'll just remember this on your next vaccine round."

"Always with the threats," Jim said with a laugh.

As he turned to go and punch in dinner, Jim saw something strange on McCoy's end table by the bed. At first, he thought it was a discarded shirt, but then he saw it had what looked like eyes. "What's this?" He asked, walking over to pick up the item. It was about dinner plate sized, of off-white fabric, with seven sewn-on limbs and what looked to be eye stalks with painted balls on the ends. It was soft and floppy, and looked a bit grungy.

McCoy backup up a bit to look. "Oh. That's a toy."

"A toy?" Jim asked with confusion. "You mean a toy, or a ' _toy_ ' toy?"

"Not  _that_ kind of toy," McCoy huffed with amusement, coming over to take the toy out of Jim's hands. "It's just astounding how your mind always goes for the gutter."

"It's a  _talent_ ," Jim insisted. "But what are you doing with a toy?"

McCoy looked at it strangely. "One of the Yaderan kids gave it to me to have it cleaned. Forgot to leave it with Housekeeping. But... I thought I'd left it on the coffee table in front of the couch. Kid didn't seem to be in any hurry to get it back. Guess she'll just have to wait a while longer."

"Okay. We can drop if off later."

Jim took it back and tossed it back on the coffee table, on his way to the kitchen. He washed his hands and punched up dinner, setting it on the table while McCoy was in the 'fresher. Jim got his favorite chicken parmesan, then McCoy's soup and salad. They both ate quietly, listening to some classical music in the background. McCoy had always thought the music a little heavy for dinning, but Jim liked it.

Just as they were finishing, their com buzzed. "Bridge to Captain Kirk." Both winced.

Jim walked over and pressed the button. "Kirk here."

"Captain," Lieutenant Arex said, "We have a new information packed from Headquarters. It's been sent to your Ready Room. And Commander Scott would like to talk to you about his report on the repairs the Yaderan ship would need before it could be space worthy again."

"Fine. Tell Scotty I'll be in my Ready Room in about twenty-minutes. I'll look over the packet there."

"New marching orders?" McCoy asked.

"How to handle this situation most likely. Maybe they'll let us know what to do with them."

"I hope it's to take them back home," McCoy said with resignation. "But I'll bet we won't."

"Probably not," Jim admitted. He threw his dishes in the recycler. "Well, at least it looks like you can get more sleep before your shift. I imagine I'll be gone a while. One way or another, we'll be helping to repair that ship, and I'll need to be there to approve whatever craziness Scotty comes up with."

"Didn't want  _sleep_ ," McCoy muttered as he worked on his soup.

"My dirty mind says it knows that," Jim said as he leaned over to kiss McCoy. "And the rest of me is sorry for the missed opportunity."

Turning to leave, Jim reached down to pick up the toy. "I'll take it to Housekeeping while I'm out."

"Okay."

Jim tucked it under his arm and headed out. It wasn't until he got to the Ready Room that he realized he'd forgotten to stop and drop it off for cleaning.

_Oh well. I'll take it by when I head out later._

He tossed it on the table inside the Ready Room door so he wouldn't forget it.

 

***

Beta shift - 8:00 pm

 

Montgomery Scott typed in the last bit of info on his PADD and shook his head. He, Spock and the Captain had been going over the supply list Scotty had put together to fix the Tomink, to make sure they could do the job properly.

"I know the Yaderans don't want to go back home, and apparently the Yaderan government is fine with us fixin' up the ship and sending it back out. So much so that they've agreed to reimburse us for the cost of the supplies. But honestly, Captain, she's a fine, wee ship for easy space. But I don't see how they expect her to get very far into the nebula. Even the Enterprise would be hard pressed to navigate that whole mess of asteroids and gasses. They get much further in this next time, and if disaster strikes again, she'll probably not make it out."

"I know, Scotty," Jim said with a sigh. "But it's not our call. I wish it was."

"The Yaderans aboard the ship are very adamant, Captain," Spock added, "that they  _must_  continue their trip. They firmly believe that their promised  _Home_  is there and waiting for them. I do not think they could be talked out of it at this point. Although I, myself, do not think the trip a safe or wise one."

"I know. Doctor McCoy isn't happy about that choice either. He's really worried about the kids on board," Jim admitted. "So am I. But human colony ships have made dangerous voyages since we first pushed a boat out into the oceans of Earth. I'm sure people thought they were making crazy choices as well."

"But in those cases, Sir," Scotty added, "they usually had someone who'd gone first and verified that there was some place _to_  go _to_. Nebula are famous for making stars, not for habitable planets or stable systems. If ye could even find one in there."

"The odds are admittedly low, Mr. Scott," Spock said. "But there is a chance that they may find such a planet. The nebula should not be completely barren of life supporting places they could settle."

"It's a wee bit out in the boonies, considerin' no ones' gonna come and visit you for a while. And about that," Scotty said. "Three hundred colonists, less than that that now, does nae sound like an optimal number of breeding stock, if you don't mind me sayin' so."

"Actually, Mister Scott, the Yaderans do not have such a problem. Their DNA routinely throws out mutations in their children. Unlike most humanoid species. Even at this low number of individuals, they are in no danger of inbreeding in the future."

"Oh, well, I guess that they've got that covered then." Scott sat back, wishing he had some other reason to deny the Yaderans their fix. Not that he didn't want to help them, but... "Captain, what do we do if we get another distress call from them? Has Starfleet thought about that? I know they dinnae want us in there yet."

"I have asked them about that issue, and their answer is that we will go in to help only as far as our own safety is concerned." Jim shook his head. "I get the feeling they don't think the colonists will get very far. Then we go in, pull them back out, and then the ship will be in such a mess it can't be repaired. Then we take them back to Yadera. And neither the Yaderans nor their government can say we didn't follow their wishes."

"Well, that's pretty gruesome."

"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to a second rescue." Jim threw up his hands. "Unfortunately, that's how it's playing out."

"All righty, then," Scotty said, "I guess that about covers it. We should have the Yaderans up and running in the next day or so. Their own crew is working on the mechanicals even now. We just need to help a bit with the outer patching. The Supply Chief is getting everything together for their extra food, air and water?"

"He's coming up in a bit to brief me, but that seems to be the case so far," Jim replied. "We have plenty of stores, and Yadera has said we can be reimbursed for our materials and time by picking up supplies on their planet. Since they're the closest planet at this location, that should be handy for both of us. Maybe take some shore leave as well."

"May I go now, Captain?" Scotty asked, anxious to get started.

"Sure, Scotty. Just keep me informed on the repair process."

***

 

An hour and a half later, Jim stretched as he found his mind starting to drift. Today was the day for double shifts for everyone, it seemed. His mind kept going back to the families on the Tomink, which led to thinking of his family, which always led back to McCoy.

_Maybe part of the reason I feel so restless is that it's time we made some real plans. Took the next big step. I know we wanted to wait a bit and made sure our relationship really worked, first. And that we could live together without driving each other crazy. But it's been about eight months now. I know how I feel. And I feel its time make this more permanent. I'll talk to Spock and see what he thinks. He knows us well enough to have an opinion. Even if he doesn't totally understand human relationships. Because, frankly, I don't always understand them myself._

"Spock, want to get some dinner? How about the Officer's Mess? I think I've had enough of the replicator for one day."

"That would suit me well, Captain."

As they got up to leave, Jim spotted the stuffed toy on the table by the door. "Oh, yeah, I need to take that to Housekeeping. I'll drop if off after dinner."

The Galley was quiet and the Officer's Mess was empty, which suited Jim fine. He'd wanted to talk to Spock in private anyway. Jim set the toy on the table next to him, so he wouldn't forget and leave it behind. They sat down with their meals, and after eating a few minutes in silence, Jim decided it was time to ask Spock's opinion.

"Spock? There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes, Captain?"

"No, I mean off-duty, where I'm just Jim."

"Certainly, Jim."

Jim took a breath. It felt a bit scary even to bring the subject up. "I'm thinking about asking Bones to marry me."

"I'm sure that will be welcome news to him."

"You think he'd say 'yes'?" Jim asked, not even sure why. He knew the answer.

"Of course." Spock finished his soup and set his spoon down. He looked concerned. "If you have any doubts as to Leonard's feelings, I can assure you those doubts would be unfounded."

"No, no doubts. Not really. I think I just needed to say it out loud," Jim started playing with his vegetables. He felt a bit shy about talking to Spock about personal things. But Spock was his friend, and it wasn't like he could go to McCoy about this. "This would be a huge step for us. I mean, Spock, this is the  _rest of our lives_  I'm talking about. And I  _want_  that. A  _lot_. I just don't know if he's ready for it or not."

"Why would he not wish to take this step as well?"

Jim sighed. It was complicated.  _Where to start?_  "You didn't know him when he and I first met. He'd just come off of a bender, and was hung over and depressed. He really was torn apart by the divorce and everything that went with it. Bones isn't the love-'em-and-leave-'em kinda guy. He's attracted to people he has feelings for, which means when he hooks up, it means something to him. For a while there, I didn't think he'd make it through to graduation. He drank. A lot. He was careful never to be hung-over for a shift or too hung-over and miss a class. But when he did have the time off, he'd wipe himself out. It took a lot of work to get him to quit the suicide drinking and go out and enjoy life. I think he's afraid of going through that again. He swore he'd never get married a second time."

"I do not believe he thinks you would leave, or cheat on him, which is what I believe happened in his first marriage?"

"Of course I wouldn't," Jim replied. "I think... I  _know_ , he worries about losing me, in the bad way. I did die on him, after all. And while I can promise to be careful, I can't promise him I won't get killed or hurt so bad he can't fix me. Today, tomorrow, next week." Jim shrugged. "He'll  _never_ stop worrying. Sometimes I think it keeps him from investing in the parts of his life he fears to lose. I just don't know if he needs more time, or if giving him too much time is worse."

They were both quiet for a moment. Jim finished his dinner as Spock sat in thought.

"Jim, I can tell you this," Spock said carefully. "I have mind-melded with Leonard, and there is no doubt at all about his feelings for you. There is also no doubt he will worry. It is in his nature to nurture, protect, and worry about, those he cares about as well as those entrusted to his care. I do not think you would wish him otherwise. But there is a Vulcan saying,  _'In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace_.' I think that Leonard understands, more than most, that our time is limited even in the best of circumstances. He may well lose you, sooner rather than later. I think that at this point, he is working hard to make peace with that idea, and is able to concentrate on the present, rather than find himself frozen by future loss. The only way to be sure if he is ready, is to ask him."

_It makes sense. I worry about Bones worrying, he worries about me... and it becomes a vicious cycle. And he needs to know I want this, so much that I'd ask him outright for it. And we can have a long engagement. If I ask him, he can pick when and where for the wedding. Unless it's, like, five years from now. I'd like to get married before I'm old and gray._

"You're right, Spock. That'll be the only way to know for sure."

"When were you thinking of asking him?"

"I've put in for some time off while we're at Starbase 10, in March. My sister-in-law, Aurelan, is due in early March, so we'll get to visit after the baby's born. We had a blast the last time we visited, although it was only for a couple of days." Jim smiled. "I figure if I get him on a planet, with my family around, turn on the vid-chat with his Dad and my Mom, he can't say no."

"It sounds as if you have given this much thought."

"Oh, I have," Jim said. It felt good to have the decision finally made. "I just needed to sound it out with someone before I talk to my brother and his wife about it."

"Perhaps..." Spock said uncertainly. "You should wait until  _after_  the Holidays before talking to them. They may appreciate hearing the news once the festive season no longer holds their attention."

"Yeah," Jim nodded, smiling. "You're right. After the New Year. It'll give me a new reason to keep in touch, besides checking up on how Aurelan and the baby are doing."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sulu approach with a PADD in his hand.

"Sorry to intrude, Captain, but Commander Scott sent some of his reports to the bridge, and I thought you would want to see them. If not, I can--"

"No, that's fine." Jim held out his hand for the PADD. He glanced at the data and nodded.  _Looks like I won't get to see Bones before his shift starts. I'll have to catch him later._

"Yeah, I'll need to run over and check with Scotty about some of these readings. You're off-duty, right?"

"Yes, Sir. This was just on my way to the Botanical Labs."

"I can walk that way with you," Jim said, pushing away from the table. "I'll see you next Alpha shift, Spock."

Spock nodded as Jim and Sulu turned away.

"Oh, wait," Jim grabbed the toy off the table and tucked it under his arm. "I need to take this to Housekeeping."

Once out in the corridor, Jim lowered his voice. "Sulu, how's McCoy's tree doing?"

"The weeping willow bonsai? It's doing great," Sulu said with a smile. "I've got it tucked away in the back, with some of the other Christmas gifts. I've been working on the terrarium for it. I know the Doctor would be careful, but with him working all kinds of crazy hours in an emergency, the terrarium will help it get just the right amount of sunlight and water when it needs it. And when it comes time to prune, I can show him how and when to do it. It's pretty hardy, and should last quite a few years, although the Terran willow varieties don't usually live much over fifty."

"Then I'll just get him another one when the time comes," Jim said happily. "It took some juggling to it get here on that supply ship, but I know he'll love it. Probably fuss over it like a parent and call you for emergency checkups in the middle of the night."

Sulu smirked. "That'd be funny, if I didn't suspect it was true. But you know me, I'd have plants all over the ship if I could, so this has been fun."

"Thank you, anyway," Jim said with feeling. "I had some other ideas, but this one was the best. And I was running out of time."

They came to a corridor where they would part ways. "Captain? I can take that to Housekeeping if you want. That's out of your way."

Jim had forgotten he'd even had the toy. "Yeah. Thanks. Tell them it belongs to one of the kids in the survivor's hold. McCoy knows who, if they can't find the owner when it's clean."

He handed it to Sulu, who tucked it under his arm and headed away.

_Now to talk to Scotty about the repairs. Maybe we can get these people on their way soon, for good or ill._

It bothered him that he, Starfleet and Yadera, may never know which.

 

***

Beta shift - 10:13 pm

 

 

Sulu made it all the way to the Botanical Lab before he realized he'd walked right past Housekeeping.

_Oh, well. I'll drop it off on my trip back to my cabin for the evening._

Sulu placed in on a table near the entrance.

An hour later, Nurse Branson came into the Botanical lab. "Hey, Hikaru!" she yelled over the various tables and shelves of lush greenery.

"Hey, Joyce. Over here!" Sulu was up to his elbows in potting soil, and resisted the urge to wave her over. "What's up?"

"Are you coming to the decoration meeting tonight?"

"Oh, no," he said regretfully. "I meant to, but some of these plants are behind schedule in their repotting. I wanted to get that done before I hit the sack for the night. The lab guys have been working on the edible stuff, since we've got a lot more mouths to feed. So, I thought I'd help them out."

"Okay, no problem. We're just getting some of the Deltan Fertility Festival decorations up. Well," she laughed, "The non-xrated ones anyway. We've got the Andorian representation of  _'The Dream Space'_  up on last shift."

"Any idea what you're going to do with the back wall yet?"

"Yeah, we've decided to leave that blank for family pictures. We've put in a request for the Captain to mention it on his annual Holiday Address. Everyone will be free to fill it up with 2D pictures of their families from home. We talked about holos, but I think it would get too cluttered looking. Supplies will 'picture print' 2D copies of any personal holos for the wall. They've got a good supply of real paper."

"Sounds great. I've got some good holos of Ben and Demora I can have printed up for the wall."

"Just bring them by Supply at any time. I'm on my way to Engineering now." As she turned to leave, she spotted something unusual out of the corner of her eye. "What's that?"

"Oh, I was taking that to Housekeeping for the Captain, but forgot to stop on the way. It belongs to one of the survivor kids, and needs to be cleaned and returned to the survivor's hold. One of the kids needs it back."

"I can take it," Branson said.

"Great!" Sulu said. "That'll save me some time."

Branson tucked the toy under her arm and went to talk to Lieutenant Trake in Engineering. She completely forgot about the toy and her promise to leave it with Housekeeping.

 

***

Gamma shift - 3:55 am

 

Lieutenant Trake, from Engineering, yawned as he walked down the corridor toward Jeffries tube number 185-b-78. In one hand he had his suitcase-sized repair kit with the replacement sensor relay that needed to be replaced, and under the other arm a stuffed toy he'd promised Branson he'd take to Housekeeping. As one of those on the Holiday Volunteer team, he'd been helping put up various decorations for the myriad of celebrations the ship would have over the next month. Once he got some dinner of his own, and some sleep, he'd promised to help out again on Beta shift. He'd volunteered to take the toy since he knew he'd be going that direction later that night, and it was out of Branson's way. He'd almost forgotten about it, until it had almost jumped out at him on his way to the repair.

The repair wasn't hard. The sensors needed to be replaced periodically. And tested, so that fresh ones were always on-line at all of the major power hubs on the ship. The one by the Jeffries tube would only take a few minutes. He set down the repair kit, set the toy at the bottom of the Jeffries tube so he wouldn't step on it by accident, and replaced the sensor on the console next to it. He'd done this so many times before, it took little thought.

When he left, he'd completely forgotten about the toy, and his promise to see it safely to its destination.

 

***

Gamma shift - 4:03 am

 

 

McCoy had just finished looking at a patient when he saw Uhura in the corner of his eye. She smiled at him from the main entry way.

"Hey," he said, walking up to her.

"I'm on lunch break. You have time?"

McCoy looked around. He'd been busy earlier in the shift, but now it was pretty quiet. "Sure. I'll tell Doctor Davidson I'm taking my lunch."

He did so, and he followed her out. The corridor was quiet and the light low. Hardly anyone was in sight.

"Where do we eat?" He asked.

She put an arm through his, and kept her voice low. "How about my quarters. We have some planning to do. The Holiday Address by the Captain is only a few days away."

"Oh, don't remind me," McCoy said with trepidation. "I'm trying to keep busy so I don't think about it. It's scaring the shit out of me."

"Len, you have nothing to worry about.  _Trust_  me."

"I do, Darlin'. I just don't trust  _me_  not to mess it up," McCoy admitted. "The first time I proposed, it was just the two of us. I was so nervous I don't even really remember what I said, just that she said yes and thinking ' _Oh, Thank God it's over with'_. This time, you're talking about the whole ship.  _Jim's_  ship."

"Just think of it this way," Uhura said. "Once he says 'yes' in front of the whole ship, he can't back out. He's trapped."

"Well," McCoy said thoughtfully, "there is that."

"You won't have to give a big speech, Len. You can practice during lunch."

Something in one of the open Jeffries tubes caught Nyota's eye. It looked like a bunched-up sweater. "What is that?"

As they got closer, McCoy huffed in surprise as Nyota picked it up. "That's Teeka's toy! What's it doing out here? Jim was taking it to Housekeeping."

"One of the survivor's toys? Maybe he dropped it."

"That doesn't sound like Jim."

"Maybe Housekeeping dropped it." She shrugged. "What is it supposed to be?"

"No idea. Her name is Beko, though. I promised Teeka I'd have it cleaned for her."

"Well, I can drop it by Housekeeping on my way back to the bridge, after our lunch."

They arrived at her quarters, with Beko tucked under her arm, and she set it on a table by the front door. She and McCoy had started on their replicator meals when Uhura's door chimed.

Spock entered when she answered the door.

"Nyota," Spock said in greeting as he entered. He stopped short when he saw McCoy. "Leonard. I did not realize you were here. I apologize for intruding."

"She's  _your_  girlfriend, Spock," McCoy said as he took a bite of his sandwich. "I doubt either of  _us_ thinks you're intruding. On the other hand, according to ship rumors, I guess you _should_ be worried. Is that why you're here at four in the morning?"

Nyota stuck her tongue out at McCoy and waved Spock toward her small couch. "Sit. We can talk while we eat."

"There are rumors?" Spock asked with a raised eyebrow as he remained standing.

"Yes," Uhura said with a sigh as she went back to her salad. "The Doctor and I are having a romantic fling, right under your nose."

"Well, now that he's here, make that a romantically tangled threesome," McCoy said with straight face. "Poor Jim."

Nyota almost choked on a laugh, and she had to cover her mouth. She leaned over and slapped his arm. "Len, don't  _do_  that while I'm eating!"

"Sorry," McCoy said with a smile that he knew said that he wasn't sorry at all.

"Spock," Uhura said at Spock's confounded look, "don't worry about it. Len and I are just on lunch, and we're going to talk about Len's proposal to Jim, after his Holiday Address. Thank goodness we'll all be back on Alpha shift by then. I'm going to feel jet-lagged all week."

"There is something that I think I should tell you," Spock said to Nyota. "Doctor, if you don't mind, we need to talk privately for a moment."

"Sure," McCoy said. "Am I leaving, or are you?"

"In here," Nyota said, indicating that Spock should follow her into the bedroom. Spock followed.

McCoy concentrated on the rest of his meal, trying not to pay any attention to the two in the other room. After some discussion, Spock left the room, Uhura following him with a huge, delighted grin on her face.

"Doctor, have a good morning," Spock said as he turned toward the door.

"You too, Spock."

Spock stopped suddenly, eyes on the table by her door. "Is that the toy that the Captain had in his office?"

"Probably," McCoy replied. "Although I don't know how it ended up in the corridor."

"Lieutenant Sulu was going to take it to Housekeeping for the Captain."

Uhura said. "I'll take it by Housekeeping on my way back to the bridge."

Spock nodded at her and left.

McCoy turned to Uhura. "I know he doesn't need to sleep as much as humans do, but what does he do with all that time?"

"Read. Study. Meditate. Work. Watch movies with me. Repeat," she admitted, with that delighted smile still in place.

"What's up?" McCoy asked. "He give you some good news?"

"You could say that," she said coyly. "Len, are you  _sure_  you're going to propose? This is a done deal, right? Promise?"

"Yes," he said. "I promise. Now what's up?"

She sighed. "I can't say, but just know that you're making the best decision possible by choosing to propose now."

"An even better decision than it was just an hour ago?"

"Yes," she said happily. "You'll just have to trust me on this."

"Uh, huh," McCoy said finishing his sandwich and looking at her with suspicion. "More famous last words."

Forty minutes later, as they headed back to work, McCoy offered to take Beko to Housekeeping himself.

"I promised, so it's my responsibility."

Whoever had Gamma shift at Housekeeping must have been in the back or on a break, as there was no-one at the front desk. So, he left Beko on the desk with a note about the toy needing cleaning and where to take it when it was done.

Then it was time to go back to work, as he repeated his proposal in his head.

 

***

Gamma shift - 6:30 am

 

Jim Kirk rolled over in bed, missing McCoy's warm body, and squinted at the time. He was due to start Alpha shift in an hour and had found sleep hard to come by. McCoy wouldn't get off-shift for an hour and a half, so they couldn't even have breakfast together.

_No need to hurry if I'm not sharing a shower and breakfast. I'll be gone before he even gets here. Thank heaven that was his last Gamma shift. He can sleep for a while, then join me for dinner, and we can finally get to be together. Maybe then I'll get more sleep._ He smiled to himself.  _Or, hopefully, less. Not that sex isn't great when we have to catch it on the run, but I like it a lot better when it doesn't need to be rushed. Falling asleep together is the best part, sex or no sex._

_Damn. I sound like an old married man, even in my own head._

He laughed at himself and got up to get ready for the new day.

The Yaderan ship, the Tomink, was just about as safe as Scotty and his crew could make her. They'd run into a bit of trouble last night, but had been able to improvise some of the seal problems around the welds. The patches they were helping the Yaderans make on the ship would hold. But Scotty had been as concerned as everyone else about the Yaderans trip back into the nebula.

_Everyone's anxious. I wish the Tomink's Captain was as well. But he really believes they'll be safe, and that this asteroid hit was just a fluke. I wish I had his certainty, but when you look out into the kind of rock grinder of an orbit those asteroids have, even the Enterprise can't keep up with them all. And their system isn't nearly as sophisticated as our is._

_I'd hate to have to go in there to save them again. We could get pretty messed up ourselves._

If everything went well, the Yaderans would probably leave by the end of the day. Jim signed the last of the requisition forms he found in the Ready Room that were needed to transfer some of their food stuffs over to the Yaderan ship.

As he entered the bridge, with the announcement of 'Captain on the Bridge', there were more heads turned toward him than usual. Some looked at him questioningly, and a few looked amused. As he approached his chair, he saw why.

There, in the middle of his chair, was the Yaderan toy. This time, it looked a lot cleaner and softer. He picked it up and looked askance at Sulu.

Sulu, sitting at his console, turned and held up his hands. "I didn't put it there, Captain. It was there when I came on shift. I didn't even get it to Housekeeping, but passed it along to someone who would."

_That's strange. It's obviously been cleaned. Why would anyone bring it back up here?_

"Well, I guess I'll just have to return it myself," Jim said sitting in his chair, placing the toy on his lap. "Uhura, contact the Captain of the _Tomink._  Let's see when he thinks the survivors we have on the Enterprise can be shuttled back. "

The talks with the Captain of the _Tomink_ went well, and a preliminary time for the shuttle-over would start early that afternoon. The _Tomink_ would head back into the nebula a few hours later. Even Scotty gave his 'okay' on the matter, although Jim could still hear the concern in his voice.

The rest of the day went smoothly, with Jim attending to reports and sending messages, and replies to the replies of those message, in his Ready Room. All the while the toy staring at him from the table by the door, where it had been just the day before. He didn't mind it so much, it was cute in an ugly kind of way, but he was going to have to have a word with Housekeeping on how it ended up on the bridge.

"McCoy to Kirk."

Jim hit the com button. "Hey, Bones. You up?"

"Had a nap. This shift-changing stuff is going to drive me to drink. The Yaderans leaving tonight?"

"Yeah, this afternoon, actually. Everything's going well. They'll get back to searching for their fabled  _Home_ world and we get back to our scientific studies."

"Thought so. Wondered if you'd had lunch yet."

Jim checked the time. It was after 1:00 pm, so he was passed due for a lunch break. "Sure. Want to meet me at the survivor's hold first? I have that toy you wanted cleaned for that little girl."

" _You_  have it?"

"Yeah, someone must have brought it up from Housekeeping."

"But I left them a note to take it back to the survivor's hold."

"You did? How did  _you_  get it back? I left it with Sulu."

"That's weird, 'cause Uhura and I found it last night in a corridor, just inside a Jeffries tube."

"A corridor? Where?"

Jim frowned when McCoy told him. "That's odd. That's not even near Housekeeping. And who's dropping things in the corridors?" Jim sighed. "I guess following that up will keep me busy for a couple of hours next week, once we're back to the boring scientific stuff. Anyway, I'll meet you at the hold."

"I'll be there."

The trip was quick, and Jim handed the toy to McCoy. "You'll know who to give it back to. We'll be just in time, as they'll be headed to the shuttles soon.

McCoy took the toy and followed Jim into the hold. Inside, the passengers seemed excited, talking in groups and collecting their items. Jim looked around the large room for the children, but they were all spread out. McCoy pointed out a little girl toward the back. "There she is."

The made their way through the crowd, where five children were playing around a group of adults. "Hey, Teeka!" McCoy said, catching the little girl's attention. He held out the doll to her as she ran squealing up to him. "Beko! She's better! Thank you!" She held her arms up and McCoy picked her up. She gave him a half-hug while holding Beko close.

"You're welcome, Darlin'. I hear you're leaving soon."

"Yeah. Papa says we're finally going  _Home_ ," She told him with a smile, then looked at Jim. "You're the Captain."

"Yes I am. Nice to meet you, Teeka."

Teeka was silent for a moment, studying him.

"Beko says you're nice, and that she was pleased to meet you. She says not to worry, because she'll take care of us. And maybe someday you can come visit."

"That would be nice," Jim said, hoping his smile was convincing. "You tell her it was great to meet her too."

Teeka giggled. "She can  _hear_  you. I taught her how to talk, so she'd know what I was saying."

Jim re-directed his attention to the toy. "Then, Beko, I am pleased to have met you."

Teeka leaned closer to Jim, her voice low. "Beko  _likes_  your tree. She says it's pretty and she knows a whole planet full of them. That's where we're going."

Jim felt a chill go through him.  _She can't know about Bones' tree, can she? She must have been to the Botanical Lab with a group or something. What other tree could she have seen?_

McCoy looked at Jim curiously. Jim ignored him. "Well, thank you, Beko. I'm sure you'll all be very happy there."

She wiggled then, and McCoy set her down. "I've got to go now. Mommy says it's time to get ready for our ride."

"Have a good trip, kid," McCoy told her, ruffling her short, purple-ish fur.

They both stood for a moment and watched as she made her way back to her parents with her arms wrapped around her toy.

McCoy sighed quietly and said under his breath as he watched her, "Jim, I don't know about this."

"I don't either. C'mon, let's get some lunch. I want to be back on the bridge when the ship gets ready to leave."

Their lunch was quick, and eaten in silence. They both knew the odds of the colony ship making out very far into the nebula, and nothing either of them could say would change the fact that it was going.

_It takes a lot of courage, to do that. To tear up stakes and move like that. In ancient times, a new continent was as far from home as you could expect to get. Now, the distances are so far away that it boggles the mind. And to take your kids into that unknown... But I guess they see it as a new planet, one they've been promised in their folklore. So, they don't see it as a danger, but as an adventure._

_And having an adventure is the one of the reasons so many of us come out here, even when we miss our families back home._

McCoy followed Jim back to the bridge. The reports had all come in that the ship was space-worthy, restocked and the last of the survivors re-boarding even now. The Yaderans would be on their way in less than an hour, they were that eager to leave.

"Now, more than ever, do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life," McCoy said solemnly in the silence of the bridge, his eyes on the screen, "that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere."

"Sounds like my line," Jim said in surprise. "Who said that?"

"An old Terran explorer and adventurer, Isabelle Eberhardt. That quote just stuck in my mind. That's why we're all out here, isn't it? We all could have stayed home, after all. Never left Earth." McCoy nodded toward the small ship. "Never colonized. Never taken that chance."

"And what would be the fun in that?" Jim asked, eyes on the ship.

"They're sending their good-byes," Uhura said. "And their thanks."

"Send them our best wishes, Lieutenant."

"Yes, Sir."

"Sulu? Follow along behind them, just up to the nebula's edge. I want to be close if they have any problems. But not so close they'll be insulted by our looming in on them. Chekov, raise the deflector screens."

"Yes, Sir."

"Aye, Sir."

The edge of the nebula was not so much an edge as the beginning of gradual accumulation of the dust, gases and rock material that drifted this far out. As they got further and further in, the asteroids got closer and closer together, until their passage moved enough of them that they started to hit each other like balls on a pool table. And it didn't help that with all the action going on around them, that any asteroids in an orbit around distant, new stars could sneak up on them and do damage if their deflectors didn't hold. Like the one that'd hit the _Tomink._  It didn't take the Enterprise long before they were in it almost as far as they could go and be safe themselves.

Just as Jim was about to order the Enterprise to reverse when something strange happened on the screen.

"Sulu, all stop. Spock, what is that?"

Ahead of them, the several asteroids seemed to be caught in a whirling eddy.

Spock, already at his Science console, was working the settings of all the sensor devices the Enterprise had. "Unknown phenomena, Captain. I can find no reason for the debris in the area to move in that manner."

Suddenly, the swirling motion widened, and the visible gas and debris were pushed outward, leaving clear space in the center. It was a maelstrom with a central eye.

"It's a tunnel," Chekov said in surprise.

"It does look like one," Jim agreed standing to walk up closer to the viewscreen. "Spock? Anything?"

"I can find nothing that would explain this, Captain."

"Sulu, can we get closer?"

As they grew closer, they all could see the _Tomink_ head toward the clear center of the swirling mass. In a moment they were in it.

"Captain!" Chekov said, "The gas and debris are starting to collapse back on us."

"Much of the debris is now moving between us and the _Tomink._ " Spock said, glancing at the Captain. "It is forming in a greater mass than was originally in this area."

"We can't follow," Sulu interjected, furiously tapping at his panel. "Captain, it's going to completely block our path."

"Full reverse," Jim ordered. "Take us just far enough out to be safe, Sulu."

"Yes, Sir."

It took a few minutes of them all holding their breaths while Sulu backed them out of the nebula. The mass of debris had formed into a wall, completely cutting them and their sensors from the _Tomink._  Then, as they move away, it thinned out again. After a few moments, it just looked like the nebula as they had seen it before, with its mass still moving and shifting according to gravity and solar winds from within and without.

They all watched the screen while running a full battery of tests. Each station trying to figure out what they had witnessed.

"Anything, Spock?" Jim asked coming up to Spock's station.

"No, Captain. My readings found nothing that would cause such movement."

"Jim?" McCoy said softly from behind him.

"Uhura? Do we still have contact with the _Tomink?_ "

"Jim?" McCoy repeated.

Jim held up a hand, holding him off until Uhura could reply.

"No, sir. I've been trying constantly since the phenomenon started, and I was unable to keep contact with them."

"Captain!" McCoy said sharply.

Jim turned and looked at McCoy, who was staring down at Jim's chair.

Sitting in the center, was the stuffed toy, Beko.

Jim walked over to his chair and looked at it closely. It just looked like a cloth toy. Nothing more.

"I guess..." McCoy said hesitantly, his eyes on the toy. "Well, she said not to worry, that Beko would take care of them."

"And that maybe we could visit someday," Jim said softly, replaying Teeka's message from Beko in his mind.

He picked up the toy.

"And... I guess now is  _not_  the time," Jim said, knowing everyone was watching them with confusion. "They shut the door behind them."

"Captain?" Spock asked.

"Looks like we have a message from someone new, Spock," Jim said. "Let's get this completely analyzed, and I want the location of this toy traced from the moment it landed on the Enterprise to the moment it left.

"Left, Sir?" Chekov asked.

"Yes, Chekov. Someone brought this toy back to us, to let us know that the Yaderans were being looked after. Let's figure out how we can make contact ourselves."

 

***

December 1st - 6:00 pm

***

 

While none of the ship's Science departments had been able to discover anything about the toy, other than it was what it looked to be, the Enterprise had been ordered to go back to its scientific studies of the nebula. No further contact had been made with the  _Tomink_ , but they now had something positive to look for, a new, alien species that may or may not have a physical form. This thrilled the ship's scientists no end. For the rest of the crew, they had the Holiday season to look forward to. A whole month of celebrations to keep them busy, and thinking of home.

For McCoy, it meant that Jim's annual Holiday Address was at hand, the kick-off to the first Holiday party in December. He'd been so nervous that he'd been ducking Jim all day.

He ran a finger under the collar of his dress blues.  _Am I sweating? I can't! Not now! How much time until the speech? Is my hair okay? A least I don't have to wear this stupid hat indoors. I've got the ring. I know it's in my pocket because I checked just a few minutes ago. Okay, so I need to check again. It's there. Will he like it? Too damn late now. I--_

" _Relax_ , Leonard! I just need to check this one more time," Uhura scolded him as she examined her holo-camera. "You're fine. This will be something you can show your grandkids someday."

"What? How their future grandpa messed up his proposal to their future granddad and he fainted in front of the whole ship?"

"Who? You or him?" Uhura gave him a teasing smile. "As long as Jim says 'yes', then it doesn't matter how it's done, does it? Besides, it'll give those grandkids something to tease you about. And maybe mine can join in."

"Oh, God, you are  _not_  helping," McCoy complained, pacing back and forth in the small room right off the Rec Room. Uhura had arranged to have the room empty, had snuck in McCoy's uniform so no one would see him all dressed up, and had helped him get ready. She'd had to act as his mirror since the room didn't have one, and McCoy had tried to stand patiently as she fussed over him. Sulu, sworn to silence, stood outside and guarded the door. They couldn't have Jim accidentally coming in and spoiling the surprise. And Spock was under firm orders to deflect the Captain from the room, and any questions he might have as to McCoy's whereabouts. All while making sure the Captain was in place, on time, for the customary speech.

"His Holiday Address is about to start," McCoy said, looking at the time. "He's going to start asking where I am."

"Spock will keep him busy. Just remember your cue."

"I know, I know! I won't miss it. Unless I pass out first."

Uhura walked over, leaned up and kissed his cheek. "And in that case, Sulu will drag your sorry ass out there, we'll throw some punch on you, and make you do it anyway. Workable, but it'd be so much more photogenic if you're conscious. Just remember that. I have to go in a minute. You have the ring?"

"Yes, yes. I did manage to remember that. I've only checked it a hundred times in the last thirty minutes, to make sure.

"Good! Time for me to get ready. See you in bit!" She said cheerfully and left the room.

McCoy closed his eyes and tried to relax. Maybe un-fisting his hands would help. Or unclenching his teeth.

_I can do this. I can do this. It'll go fine. He'll say 'yes'. I know he will. Then why am I one minute away from a panic attack? Probably because I'm going to mess this up. Damn, it! I'm trying_ not _to think that. But how do I stop? This is stupid. I can't think about not thinking about something, because that's thinking about it._

He was relieved when the data screen in the small room came on. There was Jim, Captain of the Enterprise, standing in the Rec Room, on the raised platform that held some musical instruments. McCoy knew the room was full of off-duty personnel who'd came for the Captain's speech and the resulting 24-hour party that kicked off the season. The December first party was  _not_  the one to miss, because, being the Enterprise, they'd most likely have emergencies through the rest of them. You attended what parties you could get to.

Jim was smiling, and, as always, he looked stunning in his Captain's uniform. As if he were born to the color. Spock was just at the edge of the shot, and Uhura was handling the broadcast. Everyone was in place.

"Good evening, everyone," Jim said with a smile into the holo-camera. "We have, once again, managed to make it through another year, to the Holiday Season. This year, we've been through some rough times. We've lost a few family members, crew members and friends. People we will forever miss. But we also have much to celebrate. We have accomplished some incredible things this year. We've uncovered spies in the Federation, helped some new members join, helped to change a society for the better, saved  _many_  lives, and visited some beautiful places. We've all made priceless memories, and have grown as individuals, and as a group."

Jim paused for a moment, growing serious. "And all of that was only possible because of  _you_ , the crew. No Captain would have a job without his crew. And no Captain can be successful, without a  _great_  crew. A crew that he can trust to give their all, just because he asks it of them. A crew that acts, and feels, like family. You have all been there for me, and with me, this year. I hope I have deserved your trust, your efforts, and your sacrifices. And, also, I hope that in the next year, I will continue to deserve the best crew in the Federation.

But now is the time to celebrate our Enterprise family, and our diversity. There are several celebrations planned during the next four weeks. We have some interesting religious and cultural events planned. I hope that everyone gets a chance to visit the Rec Room during the next few weeks and learn first-hand, from some of our own Enterprise crewmates, what these celebrations entail, and their histories and meanings. And along the back wall we have space for your old-style 2D printed holos of your family members. The Supply room is ready to print them up, and the Holiday volunteers can place them along the walls for you. Please, share your family with our family! I look forward to seeing that whole space filled."

There was some smattering of applause as Jim paused.

"I just want to thank you all for being a part of my crew. I look forward to the next year, and the great things we can accomplish together. And most importantly... " Jim smiled again. "I'm officially declaring that the Holiday Season has started. Have a great time!"

The audience started clapping. At Jim's signal to Uhura to cut the feed, McCoy was at the door and it slid open. Sulu, all smiles, nodded at him.

_Do it now. Do it right. He deserves it._

McCoy pulled himself to attention, his uniform hat under his arm. He took a breath and strode forward through the crowd as if on Parade. Sulu helped to clear the way for him, as crewmembers realized he was trying to get to the stage. Out of the corner of his eye, McCoy realized that he was drawing attention. He heard Uhura tell the Captain, loudly, that they had one more announcement that needed to be made, could he please attend? And, of course, Jim said yes.

As McCoy approached the stage, he saw Jim looking around curiously. It wasn't until he was only a few feet away from the stage that Jim turned enough to see him.

Jim's eyes went wide in surprise. McCoy saw him mouth one word. "Bones?"

McCoy walked up to the stage, then stepped onto it.

Everyone went deathly silent.

Jim suddenly seemed to realize what this could mean, and his expression went from surprise, to hope, to doubt, and then blank in a matter of seconds as he tried to read McCoy's face. McCoy knew Jim was afraid to misread the situation, in case he was wrong about what was going to happen.

Stepping up to him, McCoy reached down and took Jim's left hand. He squeezed it, and could feel a bit of tremor in Jim's as he squeezed back.

McCoy took a huge breath.

"James Tiberius Kirk," McCoy said loudly, so that everyone could hear. He kept his eyes on Jim's. "When I first met you, I was a mess, and I didn't know how I was ever going to dig myself out of the pit I was in. But meeting you changed my life. I liked you from the first, and over the next few years, grew more and more fond of you with each passing day. I have been privileged to call you Captain, and friend, for years now. And during those years I found myself falling head over heels in love with you, as anyone who knows me could tell. You are now, and will always be, the owner of my heart and the center of my universe. Where you go, I go. And even though I don't deserve you, because you have taken care of me in ways no one else could have, I need to ask one more thing of you."

Without his eyes leaving Jim's, McCoy let go of Jim's hand, pulled the small box out of his pocket, and went down on one knee, holding up the box.

Jim seemed to start, the blood leaving his face as he looked down at McCoy with shock.

"It's just  _me_ , Jim. But I promise you I'll be the best husband I can be. No matter how hard things get, we'll go through them together. Because I can't think of doing anything without you. Will you marry me?"

Time seemed to slow, and the room stayed silent. Hundreds of eyes were upon them, hundreds more watching through the vid-feed. Everyone seemed to be holding their breaths.

Jim's eyes grew moist, and he seemed to be at a loss for words. His eyes never left McCoy's. Then, slowly Jim smiled and nodded. "Yes," he said thickly.

The crowd around them erupted in cheers.

Before he even realized it, McCoy was standing again, with Jim in his arms.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Jim was saying over and over in his ear, his arms so tight around McCoy he almost couldn't breathe. Jim sounded overwhelmed, his voice watery with emotion. "I can't believe you just did that!"

"I'd do  _anything_  for you, Darlin'," McCoy whispered back. He pushed Jim back a little. Jim wiped at his eyes, trying to keep them from spilling over. Around them people were clapping and cheering. "You want that ring now?"

"Ring? Oh, hell, I'd didn't even realize you had one. I think I did a standing black-out for a minute."

"Well, in for a penny..." McCoy muttered. He put his fingers to his mouth and gave the loudest, sharpest whistle he could. It was loud enough to silence most of the room. "Not done here yet! Hush up!"

When everyone was silent once again, McCoy took the ring out of its box and held it up. Then, taking Jim's left hand, he slid it on Jim's ring finger.

Jim grabbed McCoy's face in both hands, and in front of the whole crew, kissed McCoy until they were both out of breath and gasping. Which set the crowd cheering and cat-calling.

Jim held up his hand with its new ring, a huge grin of joy his face. When the noise died down a bit he yelled over what noise there was. "I now declare... this party  _started_!"

And with the enthusiastic response of the crowd, Jim pulled McCoy off the stage and the scheduled musicians scrambled to take their seats and start the first number of the evening.

It seemed to McCoy that it took them forever to work their way through the mass of people. McCoy had no idea where they were headed, but was content to follow Jim. Spock and Sulu helped them get through all the well-wishers, who were anxious to give their congratulations to their Captain and his CMO. They were at the main exit before McCoy realized they'd been headed that way. Once in the corridor, there were fewer people, and most just voiced their congratulations in passing as they headed toward the Rec Room. The recognitions were nice, but McCoy felt a little overwhelmed by them. Jim seemed to eat it up, and McCoy would put up with anything to keep that glorious look on Jim's face.

Once in the corridor, it didn't take McCoy long to realize they were headed for their cabin.

_Thank God. I want to get us both out of these uniforms as fast as possible!_

Even though he hadn't had anything to drink, he hadn't dared, McCoy felt lightheaded. It was over, Jim had said yes, and now they could get used to being engaged.

Jim practically slammed the keys on the lock to their cabin, and just as the door slide shut behind them, closing them off from the rest of the ship, McCoy was pushed up against the nearby wall. Jim pressed up against him like a second skin.

Jim's hands were fisted in McCoy's hair, his mouth greedily opening McCoy's to his exploration.

McCoy managed to grab Jim's hips to pull him in and keep him close.

"Mine now," Jim said huskily against McCoy's lips as he finally let them take a breath. There was no room between them, and McCoy could practically feel the race of Jim's heart through their pressed bodies.

McCoy, himself feeling all hot and flushed, grew even harder at the black depth of Jim's gaze. He licked his lips, tasting Jim there.

"Always was," McCoy whispered. "Always will be."

Jim's hands were everywhere, and McCoy felt his own desperation to touch Jim make him quick and rough. They tangle-stepped back through the room with their mouths locked in another kiss. Trying to reach the bedroom, pulling and tugging at each other's clothing, becoming more tangled in them than free. When the back of Jim's knees hit the mattress, Jim broke the kiss and sat, going for the fastener on the pants of McCoy's dress blues, while McCoy struggled to get his arms out of the top, then the under tunic, that threatened to keep him wrapped up forever. Jim was pulling his pants and underpants down just as McCoy was tossing his shirts over his shoulder.

He stepped quickly out of his shoes, then helped Jim pull off his uniform, and practically tore Jim out of his pants, shoes and all. Neither one of them ordered the lights dimmed.

Soon they were both on the bed, locked together, their mouths finding each other again.

McCoy started on his favorite spot on Jim's neck, just under his left ear. He loved to hear Jim gasp as he bit softly, raking his teeth over the now sensitive flesh. Jim once again had his hands in McCoy's hair, which McCoy loved no end. McCoy had rolled on top of Jim, his mouth on Jim's collar bone and his hands on Jim's ass when Jim' pulled his head up.

"I  _want_  you. Roll over," Jim ordered.

McCoy did, loving to follow Jim's orders when was in that kind of mood. He centered himself on the bed as Jim reached over to his nightstand and opened the drawer for the lube they both kept by the bed. Jim's slick hand on McCoy's cock was almost too much, and McCoy fought not to let in to the urge to climax. Jim covered him liberally, then barely touched himself before positioning himself over McCoy's cock.

"Jim!" McCoy gasped, trying to hold Jim's hips up, afraid he wasn't as prepared as he should be. "You'll get hurt!"

"You'll  _never_  hurt me," Jim muttered distractedly as he lowered himself down.

They both groaned at the start of penetration. Jim was too hot and tight. McCoy was about to stop them both when suddenly Jim sighed and McCoy felt himself slipping inside of him. Then, slowly, a bit at a time, Jim let him in until he was completely seated.

They both froze. McCoy because any move on his part and it would be over. And he didn't want it to ever be over. Having Jim surrounding him, fiery hot and in a death grip was where McCoy wanted to live out his days.

_He's so beautiful,_ McCoy thought, his eyes raking the pale, firm body on top of him. Jim was golden in the dark, but bright like the sun in the cabin light, healthy and trim, with muscles that fought to keep still. His face was slack, his head thrown back as his mind processed everything he was feeling, every signal from every nerve. Jim's cock was straining, red and bobbing with his heartbeat. McCoy held himself back from touching it, knowing that Jim was almost as close as he was.

_If I could see his eyes, that bright blue ring around that ocean of black, he would be perfect._

"Look at me, Love," McCoy whispered. "Show me those baby blues."

Jim opened his eyes and looked down at McCoy.

And, like every other time McCoy had seem Jim this way, he was struck by his Jim's beauty.

_Those eyes! Straight to his soul. Like Earth's sky and space, all rolled into one._

"You are  _so_ gorgeous," Jim whispered, his hands on McCoy's chest. "So damned hot, I can hardly keep from staring sometimes."

"Me?" McCoy huffed, pleased but never quite believing. His voice was strained and his grip on Jim's hips fierce. "Look in the mirror, Kid. You're the poster boy for lust. You drive everyone crazy."

"Don't  _care_  about everyone." Jim smiled and leaned forward for a kiss, and McCoy almost lost it. "Whatever I am, it's only for you. And you are all mine, Old Man."

McCoy couldn't help it. He took Jim's cock in his hand, and Jim's eyes went wide as he gasped and his back arched. McCoy moved slowly, and watched as Jim's muscles all strained as he leaned back, bracing himself on McCoy's thighs. Then, when Jim seemed to be lost inside his own head, McCoy squeezed Jim's cock and gave one slow, perfect pull from the base to the tip.

Jim fell over the edge, gasping for air as his body clenched so tightly around McCoy that he saw stars. Then his own climax hit him.

It was like being hit by lightning, every nerve in his body sung out, and he felt himself come inside Jim, just barely aware of Jim's own cum hitting his torso.

Time stopped somewhere in there, passing them both by. McCoy came to feeling spent and worn out in a good way. He was barely aware of Jim pulling off of him as he grew soft. Jim practically fell on him then.

"Damn," Jim said with a gasp as he moved to wrap himself around McCoy. Being on top seemed to be Jim's favorite position, and McCoy fully agreed with that.

"You okay?" McCoy asked.

"Sure. I'm fine."

And they both drifted off that way, even with the lights still on full. Too satisfied to care about anything but that they were where they wanted to be.

 

***

 

Jim woke up first, aware of the sticky mess they'd made. When he moved, he felt a bit sore, but he didn't care. He carefully left McCoy dozing and went to the 'fresher to clean up. While he was there he heard McCoy rouse himself and walk to the door.

"You okay?"

"I'm  _fine_ , Doctor," Jim huffed with annoyed amusement. "Don't fuss."

"Yeah, like I'm good at  _not_  doing that."

When he was done, he left McCoy to his own clean up, and went back to the bed. He climbed back in leaving the lights on, and rolled onto his back, under the covers. He looked at his hand. At his engagement ring. He'd been too busy before with being polite to their well-wishers, and getting back to their cabin, to get a good look at it.

_Oh, wow. It's perfect! My Captain's stripes! He knows me so damn well. And if fits perfectly. I love how it feels. I never want to take it off._

He knew then that he'd be getting married with it. He knew some people chose another ring for the ceremony, if they wanted rings. But there was no question in Jim's mind this was  _the_  ring for both occasions.

McCoy slipped in beside him. "Is it okay?"

"It's perfect. It couldn't be better."

"Well, there's a surprise about that ring, so you might want to take it off for a minute."

"Take it off?" Jim asked reluctantly.

"Yeah. Take it off and spin it on the end table."

Now that he had it on, he didn't really want to remove it. But he was too curious to argue. So, he took it off, turned on his side, then set the ring on the end table. McCoy moved up behind him, to watch over his shoulder.

Jim twisted it quickly, and watched as the ring sped up on its own.

The sight of the small holo that formed over the ring surprised him. It was a small picture of him and McCoy, obviously on their first day at the Academy. Jim was flabbergasted.

"Bones! What?  _Where the hell_  did you get  _that_  picture?"

"What? Boy genius can't figure it out?"

Jim squinted, taking in every bit of the holo he could. His mind raced over all the memories he had from that day. And thankfully, he'd kept most of the details of that day in his mind. Meeting McCoy, and the excitement of starting a new life, having a new purpose, had burned a lot of it in permanently. But finding that exact moment took him a minute. "That's... that's our fitting for our Reds. Oh, my God, I still had  _vomit_  on my shoes."

"And I look like I'm going to jail. Which I practically was," McCoy said with a laugh. "Worst place in the world to be, and somehow, I'd chosen to be there. Must'a had a death wish."

Jim laughed, picking up the ring as it fell over, twisting it again. "I can't believe that stupid scan still exists. I can't believe you  _remembered_  it. I had no idea."

"Well, I didn't either, at first," McCoy admitted. "A friend at the Academy clinic suggested he look for it for me. Apparently, he'd done the search for other people. We just happened to be two of the few who didn't get outfitted before we arrived. Starfleet always keeps that info in the databanks. I lucked out that we were actually in the same picture."

"You mean,  _we_  lucked out."

"Yes, we did. All the way around."

Jim picked up the ring and put it back on. Now, if he ever took it off, he'd have a damn good reason to. It felt new and wonderful back on his finger.

Jim turned on his other side, facing McCoy, who had lain back down. "I want to get married."

McCoy looked at him as if he'd said something stupid. "Yeah, kinda figured that when you said 'yes' to me."

Jim laughed. "I want to get married in  _March_ , when we're at Deneva to visit Sam and Aurelan and their new baby."

"Set the date," McCoy said with a smile. "I'll plan to be there."

"You'd better," Jim said. "I was actually going to propose to you then."

"Really?" McCoy asked, surprised. "You mean, if I'd just waited--"

"I'm  _so_  happy you didn't." Jim leaned down to kiss him. "I can't believe you did that, in front of the whole ship. After all this time of being discrete, and knowing how you hate making speeches and being in front of a crowd, I was completely shocked. I thought for sure you'd be more the 'romantic dinner for two' type of proposer."

"I figured you'd like having your whole family see it," McCoy admitted. "And I know you feel like this ship is family. Now, everyone can know for sure how I feel, and celebrate with us. That, and I wanted to surprise you. Can't be too predictable."

Jim laughed. "When I saw you there, in your Blues, I was half petrified you were going to ask, and half petrified you weren't. I was afraid I was seeing something that wasn't there. And, let me guess. Uhura helped you set it up."

Now McCoy laughed. "Of course. You think I could pull something like that off by myself? She and Spock were in on it from the start."

"And there I go telling Spock about proposing to you in March, and he already knew you had this planned!"

"I guess that's what he told her, early that morning. I knew she was sitting on a secret. Spock must have told her what you discussed, in case it was something she needed to tell me. But she didn't say a word."

"Then I guess we know who our Best Man and Matron of Honor will be."

"Suits me fine. We just need to remember to actually  _ask_  them."

"One of the first things on our new wedding to-do list." Jim watched as McCoy yawned. "But right now, I think we need to get some shut eye. We're both on Alpha shift tomorrow, and you'll still be hung over from the shift change."

"We'll be missing the rest of the party in the Rec Room."

Jim settled down next to McCoy and ordered the lights off.

"All the party I want is right here."

 

***

 

_Well, it's back to work for some of us,_ Jim thought with a sigh as he and McCoy walked onto the Bridge for Alpha shift the next morning.  _We'll have to remember to try to find some time for a honeymoon after the wedding. All I really want to do now is go back to bed and celebrate some more._

McCoy had checked into MedBay and was assured that there wasn't anything pressing waiting for him. Jim was anxious to talk to the bridge crew before his Captain duties officially kicked in. It was the half hour of over-lap between one shift and the next, and the bridge was full as everyone passed along news from the last shift and compared to-do lists. Everyone was at their stations except for Spock, which wasn't unusual if he was checking up on something.

"Congratulations, Captain! Doctor!" Uhura said with a huge smile from her console.

"Congrats!" the rest of the crew chimed in. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks, everyone," Jim said with a grin. "Before we started our workday, I wanted to say how glad I am that you were all able to witness one of the most important moments of my life. It meant a lot to me. I hope the party was a blast, and I want to hear all about it during our breaks. Any suggestions for how to make it better next year, let me and the Holiday volunteers know. We don't want anyone, or any culture, to feel left out. Now, I'll be in the Ready Room, as per usual."

Jim and McCoy went to the Ready Room, Uhura right behind them.

"The nightly reports and the briefing packet from Starfleet," she said, handing him a PADD as he walked to the end of the large table to his usual chair.

"Yeah, I'd better get going," McCoy said with a sigh. "Probably a hundred cases of party hangover on their way in."

"Okay. Maybe we can meet for lunch."

Just then, Spock came in through the corridor entrance. He stood by McCoy, who was just ready to leave.

"Captain," Spock said, his face carefully neutral. He raised an eyebrow. "I am sorry to intrude. I can see you are otherwise...  _engaged_."

It took Jim a second to catch it, but he did just a few seconds before McCoy moaned.

"Yes!" Jim exclaimed happily, doing a fist pump. "That's  _five_!  _Five_  deliberate jokes before Christmas. I knew you could do it, Spock!"

"Hey! Wait!" McCoy interrupted. "That was a  _pun_ , not a joke. I don't think it should count!"

"It counts! It counts and you know it does!" Jim said pointing a scolding finger at McCoy. "I expect a bottle of the best bourbon you can find, for Christmas. Not just what you can  _afford_ , because you'll cheap out on me."

"I will not!" McCoy protested, his arms crossed in disgust. "And I  _still_  don't think it should count." He looked at Spock speculatively, his eyes narrowing. "I find the timing highly suspicious."

McCoy looked back and forth between Uhura, Jim and Spock. "Jim, did you  _tell him_  about our bet?"

"What? Bones?" Jim said, trying to sound a bit offended as he placed his hand over his heart. "Really?"

McCoy shot a hard look at Uhura. "Did he tell  _you_?"

"Doctor," Uhura said, raising her empty hands. "The Captain never said a word to me."

"Spock?" McCoy said, giving Spock his most intense 'Doctor' glare. " _Did_  he tell you?"

"Doctor, since you obviously have taken something I said amiss, the Captain would have been very unwise to have mentioned such a bet to me."

The room was quiet then, as McCoy studied first Spock, then Uhura, then Jim, a scowl on his face.

"All right, fine," McCoy grudgingly agreed, looking at Jim. "You'll get your bourbon. Just don't get your hopes up. It's not like there's a legitimate liquor store up here, or overnight delivery from Earth."

"I trust you to do your best, Doctor McCoy." Jim gave him a huge smile. "I'll see if we can meet for lunch."

"Do that," McCoy huffed and strode out of the door.

It was a full five seconds after the doors closed before Jim could bring himself to look at Uhura. Once he did, they both lost it.

Spock just watched as they laughed, but he did look a bit smug.

"Oh, you are  _so_ dead if he figures out we talked circles around him," Uhura said once she caught her breath.

"Yeah, I know. So, I'll have to keep him distracted for awhile, until he forgets the whole thing. But he can't say we lied to him. I figured Spock told you, but  _I_ never said a word. And Spock and I never actually answered his question. So, no actual lying involved."

Uhura sighed and shook her head, a fond smile on her face. " _Boys_. I'd better get back to work.  _Sir_."

"Carry on, Lieutenant."

Once she left, Jim and Spock got back to the business of running the ship. Even during the Holiday Season, someone had to.

But today, even the minor, unimportant things he had to do seemed like a blessing. And tonight, he and McCoy would have to sit down together and fill out the official forms for a formal engagement among personnel.

In most cases, no one would particularly notice, but Jim suspected there were a few among the Admiralty who were going to be put out by Jim's official relationship with his CMO.

_If it gets anyone's knickers in a twist, so be it. There's no stopping us now. Wait. Knickers?_

And even as the thought crossed his mind, he realized he was starting to sound as old-fashioned as his fiancé. He smiled at the thought.

_Such a bad influence you are, Leonard McCoy. And how I love it._

***

Christmas Day - 10:00 pm

***

 

Jim sat comfortably on the extra chair in their living room, his new guitar in his arms, happily getting used to the weight and feel of it. Spock and Uhura talked quietly on the couch, and McCoy stood in the kitchen, standing a paternal guard over his new bonsai tree. The open presents and the small holo-tree Peter had sent, sitting on the coffee table in front of him while it's lights flickered and twinkled, really had made the day feel festive. Add to that the open, and now empty, bottle of bourbon he and McCoy had been working on for the last few weeks also help to set the mood once they'd shared the last of it with Spock and Uhura.

Jim strummed gently at the strings, not sure if they were in tune or not, but he looked forward to figuring all that out. The guitar and case for the old-fashion acoustic guitar were a present from McCoy. Jim had been totally surprised when he found out McCoy had picked it up on Risa, all those months ago.

_I never would have thought of this for myself, but it feels really good. A hobby I can do by myself, for myself, for those times I just want to be alone with my thoughts. Now, I just have to find a tutorial program, or one of the musicians in the crew who might be willing to give me lessons. Learning to read music might be fun. It'll certainly be something new._

Christmas day had come to those on the bridge, much like any other day. The past few weeks had been slow for the support crew, and busy for the scientists on the various teams. But there had still been nothing new since the _Tomink_ had disappeared into the nebula. Beko, the stuffed animal had been analyzed to death, and nothing extraordinary was found. It came from Yadera, made from Yaderan materials, and now sat in the Enterprise's Archive vault in case, someday, it was needed. Everyone could only hope that the  _Tomink_  was safe and well somewhere on a lush planet inside the nebula. If there really was a new life form out there, looking after them, they were not making contact with anyone in this area of space. The Yaderan government was looking into the folklore and history of the group that had left them, but they seemed just as puzzled as anyone else about the matter.

It seemed to Jim and McCoy that it was another one of those mysteries that they would probably never find the answer to. But that didn't mean they had to quit looking. Or hoping.

That evening had been busy as well. Jim had appeared at the Christmas party for the ship, and he, McCoy and some of the bridge crew had had a nice visit. Jim had enjoyed looking at the Family wall during all the monthly celebrations he'd been able to show up to. Everyone was happy to point out the pictures they'd had printed of their loved ones back home, and tell Jim about them. It really brought home to Jim how everything they did, how every person they worked with, affected so many people and so many cultures out in the galaxy. Even out here, on the edge of known space, they were never really alone.

Then there had been the Christmas call to his mother, and to Sam, Aurelan and Peter. He'd called all of them the day after McCoy's proposal. Both he and McCoy had talked to Sam and Aurelan, who had been supportive and thrilled for them both. Instantly agreeing to him and McCoy getting married at their place in March. Planning it would take place after the holidays. Jim had called his mother in private. She had said the right words, but had been cold and distant when given the news. He didn't know why, and he didn't ask. He just kept telling himself it didn't matter. He was glad when McCoy didn't ask how it went. He could probably tell.

McCoy's dad had been thrilled at the news.  And if anyone wanted to know where Leonard McCoy's sass came from, they had to look no further than David McCoy. The father even going so far as to embarrass his son, making Leonard turn beet red and sputter, when David McCoy had proclaimed his hope that at least  _one_  of them was pregnant, because he was ready for grandkids now, thank-you-very-much. Maybe that's why Jim loved the old guy so much, he could give as good as he got. Jim had laughed his ass off.

So, calling at Christmas felt like a luxury, talking to family again so soon. He'd had to keep the Christmas calls short, since the earlier calls had used up most of his personal allotment of subspace for the month. The call to his mother had lasted only minutes, and was not any warmer than it had been earlier. But he'd got to spend his last few minutes talking to Peter, who'd been squealing with excitement about his new space ship collection. Jim had asked him for more drawings, and Peter had been happy to agree.

After a late dinner, Spock and Uhura had come over for the present exchanges. They'd agreed to get only their Significant Others presents, so that they wouldn't have to worry about anyone else. It wasn't like they all needed, or had the room for, a lot of knick-knacks. It had been fun to watch each person as they were presented with their gifts. Jim thought they'd all done very well this year, in both the giving and the receiving.

McCoy had been stunned by his bonsai gift, just like Jim hoped he'd be. The weeping willow bonsai now lived on the kitchen counter, by the small sink. McCoy been standing with his face practically plastered to the clear terrarium, his eyes scanning every little, tiny leaf on the small tree for the better part of an hour now. And Jim could tell he'd noticed the little porcelain figure of a dark-haired boy that was tucked in next to the trunk of the tree.

_It'll be good for him, besides bringing back memories of that tree he loved. He needs something of his own to take care of and nurture that's not human and in danger all the time. He's going to be such a wonderful father, someday. And since we can't have pets, maybe it'll scratch that itch for a while._

But heaven help Sulu if that tree ever dropped a leaf.

Uhura and Spock had both arrived with their presents for each other still wrapped. Uhura had been happily fingering her new necklace of vokaya stone for most of the evening. Jim and McCoy could only guess how much that necklace meant to Spock. By the look on her face and the unshed tears in her eyes, after he'd announced that it had once belonged to his mother, she knew.

Spock was quiet when he'd unwrapped the Vulcan crafted carving of the sehlat, but Jim had seen the stunned delight in Spock's eyes. Spock then told them several stories about his pet. And they had listened intently, sad that the next generations of Vulcans would not share that experience with Spock. The sehlats were all gone now, none having been exported off of Vulcan. No one had thought that they'd needed to be.

Jim worked the fingerboard of the guitar, enjoying the feel of the ring on his finger as he did so. Earlier, Spock had even asked to see the holo of him and McCoy that was hidden inside it. He hadn't known Jim and McCoy then, not meeting them until their third year, and the Nero incident. Spock had not looked impressed at the picture, but it made Uhura laugh. She described to Spock their first meeting, from her point of view. She had, after all, been there to see the beginning of their relationship.

"Well, I think Spock and I had better go. It's getting late," Uhura said reluctantly as she rose. She came over and gave Jim a half hug as he rose to receive it, careful of his new gift. Then she went over to give McCoy one. "Thanks for the drinks. I wondered how long that bottle was going to last," She said with a chuckle. "Merry Christmas, and be careful what you bet on next year."

"Thanks for coming," McCoy said as he hugged her. "You two have a nice evening, and Merry Christmas to you too."

Then, as she stepped back, McCoy's face suddenly went serious, and he blinked several times as if something were just coming to him. "Wait," he drawled, "about  _that_  bet--"

"Okay!" Jim interjected, trading glances with Uhura. He quickly set his guitar down on the couch. "You two take off now, and have a great evening. We'll see you on shift tomorrow."

"Good evening, Captain. Doctor," Spock said as Uhura practically dragged him to the door with his gift carefully cradled in his arms, a look of confusion on his face. It was obvious that Spock did not see the coming disaster.

"Now,  _wait_  a minute," McCoy said with a scowl, crossing his arms. A sure sign of battle. "About  _that_ bet. I--"

"Let me walk you out," Jim said loudly as he shepherded their guests to the door. "Back in a minute, Bones!"

"Damnit, Jim. I wanna ask--"

But the door shut on McCoy's protestations.

"Sorry," Uhura said with an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to remind him."

"That's okay. I've been expecting him to catch on all month," Jim said with a laugh. "And don't worry. I've got another bottle to distract him with." Jim winked at her. "Along with some other things I've got planned for the rest of the evening."

"I'll bet you do," Uhura replied happily, taking Spock's arm. "Come on, Spock. I can explain the danger we just avoided, if you want."

"I believe I understand," Spock said, amusement in his eyes. "The good Doctor has finally realized we never answered his original questions concerning their bet."

"You're catching on! Now,  _save_  yourselves!" Jim insisted, making shooing motions at them. "Hurry!"

Uhura laughed as she and Spock quickly walked away.

Once they were on their way, Jim stood straight, pulled at his leisure shirt to make sure it was hanging to its best advantage, ran a hand over his hair, and prepared himself to beard this particular lion in its own den.

_Ah, the sacrifices I make for love,_ he thought with a smirk.  _Bring 'em on._

 

 

 


End file.
